The Force
by BrokenHallelujahs
Summary: A simple fireside conversation that leads them inexplicably closer to the truth they both worked so hard to avoid. Rated for language.


Disclaimer: Own not. Profit not. Sue not.

This popped into my head and would NOT leave me alone. It makes me laugh - so hopefully it'll amuse you as well!

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Alice stared intently into the crackling flames in front of her, trying to discern what it was, exactly, they were burning. It served as an entertaining distraction from the conversation taking place a short distance from her current position. She hadn't seen any firewood, nor were there any trees around to have been utilized for kindling. So what was it that was fueling the lovely little fire dancing before her? At this point, she was sure it was magic.

As she absentmindedly continued to ponder the puzzle before her, the murmur of voices came to an end and drew her attention away. She watched as the various convoy members clambered out of the back of the battered truck that was, apparently, their meeting place. Carlos caught sight of her and gave a slight wave, and she managed to remember how to smile when she gestured with two fingers back at him. She was still a little bewildered by how friendly he was being; after all she had attempted to kill him at one point. She'd been waiting for him to shoot her since she woke up, but perhaps he was trying to kill her with kindness.

The fact that he could put aside how dangerous she potentially was did not make her feel any better about the situation she was in. If she was honest with herself she would admit that she was being selfish. No matter how hard she worked to conjure excuses as to why she should stay around the convoy for a little longer, it was always a dressed up lie parading around in her head. Alice knew herself, and knew exactly what kind of peril she was exposing all of these people to. If she'd really been thinking in their best interest she would've left as soon as she woke up after her admittedly impressive hero stunt.

Her musings were interrupted when a svelte figure dropped somewhat ungracefully into the sand at her side. She turned to take in the redheaded convoy leader, who pointedly avoided her gaze but wore a wry smile, as if to say 'I know you're looking at me'.

Claire Redfield was another puzzle Alice couldn't seem to figure out. She was, by far, more interesting than the mystery of the campfire would ever be. A Rubik's Cube of complexity, young, charismatic, undeniably smart, and gorgeous to boot. How she had come to be in charge of a convoy full of men was still a question floating around in Alice's mind. She had spent enough time around Claire to feel the weight of the younger woman's presence. She was a force, a natural leader, but so was Carlos. Unlike Carlos, however, Claire also had a darkness to her, a quiet moodiness that only appeared noticeably on her features when her guard was down, when she thought nobody was looking. Alice had seen it, and recognized it immediately - it reminded her of the face she saw every time she looked into a mirror. Claire Redfield had demons... big ones.

"So I see the tribe has finished voting; am I off the island?" Alice asked with a smirk, happy to see a full smile blossom on Claire's face at her joke.

"You get to stay," Claire affirmed with a laugh and shook her head, long dusty red tresses slipping silkily over her bared shoulders with the movement. "But I can always go back and tell them I changed my mind."

Alice took in her teasing tone and swallowed hard as her eyes drank in the fire lit glow of the other woman's pale skin. She found it funny that Claire lived in the desert, yet maintained her creamy complexion somehow. There was something inherently intoxicating about Claire. Alice had noticed and valiantly attempted to squelch the way her body flushed when the convoy leader was near, or control how her heart seemed to beat faster. Even now she was seriously considering sitting on her hands, feigning cold, to keep from touching that skin or those red locks.

This new behaviour made her curious. She'd never been so taken with another woman before and she wondered if it had something to do with her aimless wanderings. Being a hermit had damaged her social skills to an embarrassing extent, it seemed most likely that her attraction to Claire was due to that as well. Claire, though, acted like she was all too aware of Alice's silent longing and didn't appear to mind it. If anything she'd gone from completely ignoring Alice to paying her more attention. Like coming over to sit directly next to her, closer than strangers normally did. As a side-effect from being alone for so long, Alice had become hyper-aware of people, their movements and other little nuances. She spent so much time observing the survivors she felt a bit like she was filming a documentary for the Discovery Channel.

"Alice?"

Claire's question woke Alice out of her momentary trance, she snapped her focus back to the other woman's clear blue eyes. Claire was smirking at her, somewhat smugly, one delicate eyebrow arched. Alice felt the blush stain her cheeks and smiled back sheepishly. It had a nice effect, earning her another laugh. She liked the sound of Claire's light laughter, it was oddly comforting.

"Sorry," she mumbled and brought her hand up to rub at the back of her neck, "I forget that I'm staring. Still not used to being around the living."

"'Around the living'? What are you, a vampire?" Claire's wide grin was infectious, Alice felt her mouth stretching to meet the set example.

"More like Bigfoot, I think" Alice quipped with an eye-roll, "Minus the fur."

"Thanks Obi-Wan, that's a mental image I'll never be able to get rid of," the redhead said and scratched at her arm nonchalantly.

Alice started and cocked her head as she caught her newest pet name, "'Obi-Wan'?"

It was Claire's turn to blush, and Alice fought down her heart as it leapt into her throat. There was no way around it, she had developed a crush on the younger woman. A realization she was not sure how to handle. Things that had once been old were new again and she hadn't dealt with feelings in so long she was helplessly awkward with them.

"Yeah, Obi-Wan Kenobi? Star Wars? The kids were asking how you made all the barbecued crow, and I didn't want to scare them so I told them you're a Jedi, like Obi-Wan."

Flattered, Alice shook her head and looked down at her hands. "That's actually really sweet. Though I'd have to say I'm probably more like Darth Vader."

To her infinite surprise a small, cool, hand moved over to rest on top of hers and squeezed gently. She looked back up at Claire to find her smiling warmly at her, her face so temptingly close. Alice shivered and struggled to keep from looking down at the redheads lips.

"Nothing wrong with that, actually, if you think about it." There was an amused glint in Claire's eyes but a seriousness in her tone that Alice found wildly endearing. "I think Vader is wholly underestimated as a character. Sure he's the 'villain' but is he _really_? Everyone thinks Luke saved the day, but if you ask me Luke would've been a basted turkey if Vader hadn't stepped in and saved his whiny ass. Vader's actually the hero."

Alice stared at her again, unabashedly this time, Claire laughed and turned away. Her hand started to come away from Alice's, so she quickly flipped hers over and gripped the other woman's, encouraging her to stay in contact. It brought the redheads attention back to her.

"Alright, now you have to finish explaining."

"I'm a nerd," Claire sighed, bit briefly into her full lower lip, and shrugged. "I think Star Wars is about Darth Vader, not Luke Skywalker. It's a redemption story. He lost his way and gave into his darker impulses for awhile and then, at the end, was the hero."

It was an interesting idea, Alice had to admit. She'd never really thought there was much to Star Wars before, but it appeared she had missed something a little more profound. There was probably a lot she had not noticed before and a lot of things she still could learn. She looked down at the joined hands in her lap and felt something stir in her chest, unfamiliar but not unpleasant. "I never really thought about it that way," she admitted aloud.

"Most people don't. Like I said, I'm a nerd. But let's keep that between us, shall we?"

Alice nodded and squeezed Claire's hand just as the other woman had earlier. Reluctantly, she then slackened her grip to allow the redhead to take her hand back. She expected to feel a chill as the warm palm moved away from hers. Claire surprised her yet again by leaving it where it was.

Confused, she felt her forehead scrunch as she looked to Claire for an answer. She found nothing but a soft smile and friendly blue eyes.

"Our little secret," Alice managed to breathe out. Claire held her gaze for a long moment, eyes flickering back and forth as though she was searching the depths of Alice's mind.

"I better turn in, I'm grumpy when I don't get my beauty sleep," Claire finally broke their staring contest and started to stand. Alice would swear that she felt a moment's hesitation in the other woman as she shifted away. "Don't sleep out here in the sand. I know I don't have to tell you, but believe it or not it gets fucking cold at night. Even in the desert."

Alice let herself laugh and nodded shortly at the gentle command, not even slightly offended. Another of Claire Redfield's many talents. "You got it."

Claire's slender fingers briefly closed in on Alice's equally lean shoulder and gripped. "Good night, Vader."

Alice let her mouth open and close, a bit like a fish, until her brain re-engaged and she quickly squeaked the convoy leaders name over her shoulder. "Claire?"

"Yeah?" Came the now distant voice.

Alice rotated until she could see the other woman's silhouette in the darkness and with a quirky little smile said, "May the Force be with you."

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END

I know, so very random of me, but I love it. Hopefully it at least made you smile!


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